Summer in Milan: An Arts & Culture Guide

For when you're not escaping on holiday, that is.

The view from the summer temporary rooftop restaurant and bar Taste on Top in Milan.

Courtesy Photo

A look at what’s new and worth staying in town for this summer in Milan.

Cafezal

First things first: Coffee is a serious deal in Italy and for those who seek more than just an “espresso,” Cafezal is the place to go. Located in the central and arty Brera district, this newly launched roastery boutique — which takes its name from “coffee plantation” in Portuguese — brews up specialty coffees harvested in international plantations. The founders are two Italian-Brazilian friends and engineers with a past in managerial roles in multinational companies, who decided to pursue their passion, inspired by London’s “third wave of coffee” scene. This is the Anglo-Saxon movement spotlighting a renovated interest in the artisanal, quality production of coffee, from the farming methods and the selection of raw beans to the direct bond with the farmer himself. An additional bonus is Cafezal’s modern interior, which deserves an Instagram post alone. Conceived by Milan architects Studiopepe, this features bespoke, soft and plush furniture juxtaposed against blue walls, graphic patterns and decorative elements in satin copper and black Marquinia marble.

Cafezal in Milan.
Erica Fadini

Cafezal

27 Via Solferino, Milan

Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

cafezal.it

info@cafezal.it

+39 02 62695506

IG: @cafezal.milano

Taste on Top

This temporary rooftop restaurant is located on the sixth floor of a building in the heart of Milan. Overlooking some of the city’s key attractions — including the Duomo cathedral, the Teatro alla Scala opera theater and Palazzo Marino — Taste on Top is the perfect summer destination for a lunch al fresco or a dinner under the stars. The menu changes periodically, according to the resident chefs bowing each week from all over Italy. If you have a quick pit-stop in mind, indulge in the drinks created by bartender Giovanni Luzzi, named Campari Barman of the Year. Suggested cocktails include 50 Special, blending Aperol, Biancosarti liquor, lemon and patchouli syrup, and Frida, which mixes Campari, mezcal, tequila, lavender and agave honey.

Taste on Top in Milan.
Courtesy Photo

Taste on Top

3 Piazza San Fedele, Milan

Monday to Sunday: Noon to 3 p.m.; 6.30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

tasteontop.it

info@tasteontop.it

+39 392 2527209

IG: @tasteontop_milan

“Outfit ‘900” exhibition in Palazzo Morando

If touring cities is for everyone, a trip in time is for expert travelers. Take the fashion time machine and get a different perspective on Milanese culture by visiting the “Outfit ‘900” exhibition, hosted in the Palazzo Morando building in the city’s Golden Triangle. A selection of garments from the 20th century is on display until Nov. 4, portraying an era of style and personal stories of the Milanese ladies and the city itself. Divided in two sections — daywear and eveningwear — all the looks have been worn on special occasions, as galas, soirées and weddings, with vintage photographs flanking the installations to document these moments. Standout pieces include a mid-Fifties pink and ivory ball dress with embroideries and applications of silver sequins by Curiel; a spring 1976 Yves Saint Laurent dress reproducing a beige silk chiffon blouse and a long, red pleated skirt, and a 1988 navy silk taffetas blouson embellished with tulle frills by Krizia.

Pieces showcased at the “Outfit ‘900″exhibition in Milan. From left to right: a mid-Fifties pink and ivory ball dress by Curiel; a spring 1976 Yves Saint Laurent dress, and a 1988 navy blouson by Krizia.
Courtesy Photo

“Outfit ‘900”

Palazzo Morando | Costume Moda Immagine

6 Via Sant’Andrea, Milan

Tuesday to Sunday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; 2 to 5:30 p.m.

costumemodaimmagine.mi.it

c.palazzomorando@comune.milano.it

+39 02 88465735

IG: @palazzomorando

En-plein-air Cinemas

To catch up on the movies missed during the fall, Cinema AriAnteo has selected four en-plein-air locations in key districts of the city to offer a wide schedule of movies — many of which screened in their original version with Italian subtitles — including “Call Me by Your Name,” “I, Tonya,” “Lady Bird,” “Dunkirk,” “The Square” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” among others. Some locations, as the courtyard of the central Palazzo Reale, also periodically host concerts and events before the screenings. For the classics lovers, Cinema Bianchini has set an intimate movie theater for 50 people on the roof of the city’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Films on the schedule include “La Dolce Vita,” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “Blow-Up,” “Sabrina,” “Some Like It Hot” and “Midnight in Paris,” among others.

Japan lovers can lose themselves at Tenoha, a multifunctional venue devoted to enhancing contemporary Japanese culture in Milan. Housed in a Thirties industrial building refurbished by the Park Associati architectural studio, the 26,910-square-foot space includes different sections. A lifestyle store offers Made in Japan items, ranging from home accessories to stationery, from tableware to culinary specialties. A restaurant and café, which can accommodate 100 people inside and an additional 30 in a summery courtyard, provides signature plates of Japanese cuisine conceived by chef Hideyuki Manaka, including yakitori chicken skewers, tonkatsu deep-fried pork cutlets and matcha-based desserts. A 4,528-square-foot surface is dedicated to coworking, offering companies and freelancers 66 fully equipped workstations, while an 11,840-square-foot area can host private events, art exhibitions and installations. An additional corner completes the space housing pop-up stores and presentations. The venue’s ultimate goal is to mirror the concept of Tenoha Daikanyama, a store opened in 2014 in Tokyo to spread the Italian culture in Japan and create synergies between the two countries.

Ganni turned over a new leaf for spring 2019, reports @fionawsma from Copenhagen Fashion Week. Instead of sending its signature floral-print dresses down the runway, the brand collaborated with 66 North, a technical outerwear brand, and produced a chic-yet-utilitarian offering that included a tie-dye vest and short set, and leopard-print pieces sprinkled among the khaki parkas and bucket hats. #wwdfashion #ganni #copenhagenfashionweek

“I love ‘Kudos’ by Rachel Cusk that just came out,” said @katieholmes212 of what’s on her summer reading list. Head to WWD.com to read which books @lilireinhart, @dakotafanning and more are picking up this summer. #wwdeye (📷: @kukukuba)

“I’ve been an actress since I was like 10 or 12, and then I went to drama school. I have a technique, and I have a process that I bring to every role. And I can talk about it, but that kind of makes it less magic, and also when I talk about it, it makes me feel like I’m full of myself,” ‘Crazy Rich Asians Star’ Constance Wu tells @leighen .(📸: @emmanmontalvan: styled by @micaelaerlanger ) #wwdeye #crazyrichasians #constancewu